


One Good Scare Really Did It

by Sarasplenda



Category: Phineas and Ferb
Genre: Angst, Concussions, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Near Death Experiences, Nightmares, Protective Siblings, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27639082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarasplenda/pseuds/Sarasplenda
Summary: Like the title suggests what if One Good Scare Ought To Do It happened and the fireside girls were not there.
Relationships: Candace Flynn & Phineas Flynn, Ferb Fletcher & Phineas Flynn
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

Candace stormed into the house. Her brothers annoyed her often but this time she was furious. Her heart pounded as the adrenaline rush from the haunted house began to ebb. She inhaled slowly. Don’t they ever realize things like that are dangerous, with their stupid axes and weapons. Not to mention they used power tools nearly every day. No, she was the big sister and it was her job to make sure her brothers were safe. She unfolded her phone ready to dial her mom just as A sickening sound came from the back yard. She heard screams. The little creeps… Suddenly the sliding glass door burst open. “Candace!”  
The sound of her step brother's voice startled her. Ferb rarely spoke but it was especially odd for him to address someone by name. His tone of voice was also strange. Was that… fear? She turned to him. He had resumed his usual silence but his eyes were saying one thing “help”  
She rushed to the doorway dropping her phone. Immediately she noted that the haunted house was gone, leaving nothing in the backyard. Nothing… except the crumpled body of Phineas and Isabella attending to him. She dropped her phone and rushed out to them. “Phineas!”  
“Oh good you’re here! Stay with him. I am going to get my first aid kit!” Isabella hastily said getting up and running out the gate.  
Candace turned to her brother, hands clasped over her mouth. He lay unconscious, although it appeared that issabella had moved him into the recovery position. His mangled hands were scraped and bleeding. His left arm bent in ways that should not be possible. The only comfort she had was the rise and fall of his chest. He was alive. That much was true. ”Phineas,” she sobbed, “Phineas wake up!” Bruises were beginning to form on his temple. She dropped to her knees at her brother's side. “No, nonononono. Phin you gotta wake up,” she said, tears pouring down her cheek.  
The door slid open. “The ambulance is on it’s way,” Ferb stated, gently clutching Candace’s pink flip phone.  
He kneeled down next to Phineas and began taking his pulse. “What happened!?” Candace cried.  
But Ferb only examined the gash on his head. Candace had never seen him so shaken. The gate swung open and Isabella ran in with a first aid kit and more gauze pads the Candace had ever seen. “I… I don’t know…” she said, her voice quavering just the slightest bit – like she was trying to hide it – as she opened the first aid kit. “We, we were just in the haunted house and everything started shaking so we ran outside. I thought Phineas was right behind me but when I looked back the haunted house was just rising off the ground, and he was in it. Then it shook again or something and he… he fell.” she said spritzing antiseptic on his palms.  
“We couldn’t catch him. He managed to catch himself partially on his arm but it was so high it didn’t make much of a difference.”  
The wailing of sirens could be heard. The ambulance came and as the paramedics began removing the stretcher a red station wagon came screeching to a halt behind it . Linda barreled out of her car. She gaped. “What happened, what's wrong?”  
She followed the paramedics into the backyard. Her eyes fell upon her daughter clutching her little brother’s limp body. Her stepson gently holding a hand with a bloodied bandage wrapped around it.”What happened to my son” she wailed.  
“We responded to a call of someone… falling off a roof,” the paramedic answered, almost unsure of what he was saying.  
The rest of his team loaded the child onto the stretcher.


	2. 2.

I stare at my brother intently. I would hold his hand, I think, if he had one that was not covered in bandages. His external injuries seem to be doing well… It's been 2 weeks. He’s made progress in the sense that his breathing and bodily functions had stabilized. He had landed the majority of his weight on his left arm. His Radius had shattered and he had fractures in his ulna and a broken humerus. His right arm was a bit better as he only had hairline fractures. He had bruising on his ribs and had sprained his hip. But the most worrisome of his injuries was the concussion. That was the reason he fell into a coma in the first place.   
I suddenly became aware of Candace’s presence in the doorway. She smiles at me softly as she crosses to the other side of the hospital bed. “We should get going soon,” she says as she brushes his cheek.  
I look at the floor, remembering her sobs as they loaded phineas into the ambulance. She had paced the floor the entire time he was in reconstructive surgery. We lock eyes. She had never said it out loud but with her demeanor these past two weeks she spoke loud and clear; she blamed herself, though why I could never tell. Suddenly, Phineas inhaled sharply and his breathing became more deep. Candace was taken aback but I only focused on his face harder. His eyelids began to flutter and slowly open. Revealing unfocused blue eyes. His heart rate had elevated slightly. “Phineas?” Candace gasped.   
Almost like clockwork he groaned slightly and his eyes began looking around eventually landing on his feeding tube. He tried to sit up but the mess of things keeping him alive got in the way. His heart monitor was going bonkers. He made a sound that was somewhere between a whimper and a scream as he convulsed. Candace was smashing the call button. I lay a hand on his arm trying to assure him that everything is alright, and then, he looked at me. That look in his eyes… he’s just scared and confused that’s all.. it’s gotta be… I hear running and nurses bound into the room. We are quickly shooed out of it. Dad, who was waiting in the hall, had by now realized something was happening and had called Mum.


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry about the indents just disappearing I don’t understand what ms happening but thank you for reading this far. :)

I tried clearing my throat. It was killing me ever since they took my feeding tube out. I have no idea why I’m in a hospital. I’m hurt I guess, that much is apparent. I remember… falling or something but after that everything is pitch. Waking up was the scary part. I had no idea what was happening. There were tons of things attached to my body and everyone was looking at me. Nothing felt wrong except a little soreness. 

A teenage girl and a boy I think is my age come into my hospital room. She is very pretty and he has kind eyes. “Phineas,” she says in a beautiful voice.

“Phineas?” I reply. The boy with green hair‘s brow furrows. I have a nagging suspicion that’s my name.

“Yeah that’s you?” Says the girl. 

Shoot, that should have been easy. The boy puts his hand on my cast. He doesn’t say a word but I understand him perfectly, Do you recognize me? “I, I’m sorry,” I manage “who are you?”

The girl gasps and the boy looks heartbroken. He must be my friend. A man and a woman come in. The man looks strikingly like the boy and the woman has piercing red hair. ”Ah, son, you gave us quite the scare,” the man says in a British accent. 

“Yes, yes you did,” the woman adds.

Is that man calling me son in that funny sort of way adults do or?... Almost as if she’s answering me the girl proclaims, “I don’t think he remembers us,” there is such sadness in her voice.

I want to tell her everything is alright. 

“He did have a pretty nasty concussion,” the woman remarks.

“Where am I? What’s going on ?” I demand. 

The boy looks wearily at his father. It has to be, they look so much alike. The man places a hand on his shoulder. They all exchange looks. “We’re your family,” the girl says gently. 

Oh. My heart rate monitor spikes as I begin to panic.”Y...you are?” I cry “why can’t I remember anything?”

“Phineas? Phineas calm down, everything’s gonna be alright,” the woman sighs, putting her hand on my shoulder and stroking my hair. 

She must be my mom. My sister looks like she’s about to cry. This only furthers my panic. I’m making everyone upset. I should be able to remember, why can’t I remember? A nurse runs in. The family, my family parts to let her through. She attaches a new iv bag. She then explains something to my parents (?) and a wave of calm rushes over me. It’s instantaneous. I still remember I’m upset but suddenly everything doesn’t feel so big. I feel so peaceful I could go to sleep. The girl, my sister is looking at me as my parents talk to the nurse. My brother is squeezing her hand. “You doing alright?” She asks. 

“Yeah I think so,” I reply. 

I’m allowed to go home in the evening. I have to use a wheelchair because my hip hurts and my legs feel weak. My room is upstairs I guess, so I won’t be up there unless it’s night. Or I crawl. Why hasn’t anybody invented a hoverchair yet?

Ferb keeps trying to make sure I’m comfortable, which actually makes me uncomfortable. He doesn’t have to do that. My mom is making dinner and my dad is calling people, to tell them I’m ok I think. The nurse said my memory should come back, but we’re not sure when. The idea that these lovely people love and care for me and that I can’t even remember breaks my heart.

“Hey, bud…” Candace sits on the couch next to me. “ Isabella says she’s coming over after dinner.”

Isabella, what a pretty name. “So, what do you wanna do until then?” Candace continues. I think. “I don’t know.” I say “what do I like to do?”

Ferb disappears upstairs. Our pet platypus, we have a pet platypus, that’s so strange, waddles his way over to my wheelchair. His name is Perry, I’m told. He jumps on my lap and settles himself there. He nuzzles his bill into my shirt. He must have missed me. Ferb returns carrying a cardboard box. He sets it down on the coffee table. It’s a jigsaw puzzle. We worked on it for a while before supper. It’s really fun. I like to solve things, I think. We have supper and as my parents clean up the doorbell rings. Candace answers and it’s a girl my age with beautiful black hair. “Hey Phineas, how ya doin’?” She says almost rhetorically I think.

She sits down next to me as I work on the puzzle and examines a piece. She laughs dryly, “you definitely cured my hiccups,” she says bitterly. 

Perry chirrs and she scratches top top of his head. “So your name is Isabella?” I hesitate. 

“Yeah,” she says, popping a puzzle peace into place. 

“I like it,” I tell her. 

That seems to make her happy. Ferb kneels down by the coffee table and examines a peace. I hear Candace in the other room. “No, Stacy, it’s alright, they’ll come back.”

We finish the puzzle and Candace turns on a movie. It’s a good movie. I especially like the special effects. Isabella goes home which is just across the street apparently. Ferb brings me my toothbrush and Candace shows me the way to the downstairs bathroom. I wheel myself back to the den when I’m finished. Mom picks me up like it’s effortless and carries me upstairs. So this is what my room looks like. It’s nice. She helps me into my pajamas. Perry settles into my bed. It looks like a raft. That is so cool. Ferb comes in and gives me a tight hug. I wish I could remember. “Goodnight, Phineas,” he says, settling into his bed and turning off the lamp. 

“Good night, Ferb”


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE KUDOS IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME

I wake up to the light of day streaming through the window. I rub my eyes sitting up in bed. Ferb is not here. “Hello?” I call out.

I hear movement in the next room. Candace appears in the doorway. “Good morning, sleepyhead,”

She carries me to the bathroom and places me on the side of the tub. “We can't get your casts wet but the doctor said your scrapes should be good by now, so we can take those bandages off.”

She starts with the one on my forehead. My hair is a bit matted around it. Then she takes the ones off of my palms. They are red and raw but the fresh air feels nice. She takes off my pajama top and squirts some body wash on a washcloth. Giving it to me I rub it in my armpits and over my chest as she brushes dry shampoo through my hair. Candace leaves to get me clothes as a rinse myself and brush my teeth. I stare in the mirror. I have the same striking red hair as my mother, (Candace’s is a bit softer orange, closer to strawberry blonde) and a sharp, defining nose. I examine every freckle. We all have rather pointed chins. At least my mom's side. My dad’s side isn’t related to us, I guess. Ferb is my step brother. I don't think it matters. I can tell they all love me just the same and I'm sure I feel that way, too. My eyes are deep blue. I stare into them. They know things, things I could not possibly tell you. I touch the scar healing on my forehead. Whatever happened to me must have been bad but I can't remember… Candace materializes with my clothes. She helps me into an orange and white striped shirt and blue cargo shorts. They're comfortable, It's nice. Candace picks me up and I wrap my legs around her for security as she carries me down the stairs.

She places me in my wheelchair and we go into the kitchen. Ferb is already there making eggs. He pours me a glass of orange juice. The food is nice although it sits like a rock in my stomach from only being tube fed for two weeks. “Oh, good you're up,” mom says. “You have physical therapy at 10:30. Your dad is at the antique shop and I have some errands to run, so I'm going to trust you guys alone. _Please be careful_.” She says the last part almost like she’s doubting it.

She kisses Candace on the forehead and leaves. Perry chirrs at my feet and I give him a clump of scrambled egg. “So,” Candace says finally, “what do you want to do for the next two and a half hours?”

The puzzle last night was awesome, it was a picture of a roller coaster. Maybe that's what happened to me, maybe I fell off a rollercoaster. At least that would be cool. Nobody has really talked about what happened. Mom seems a little mad at Candace. “I think i just wanna talk.” I say parking myself next to the sofa.

“Are you sure? Candace asks incredulously.

“I'm sure,” I affirm, scratching Perry’s rump, he seems to like the spot right at the base of his tail the best.

Ferb sits on the sofa next to me and Candace opens the blinds revealing a quaint backyard with a single oak tree. She sits next to Ferb “So,” she starts.

“Why am I hurt so badly?” I ask.

This seems to make them uncomfortable. “Y...you guys had a… haunted house,” Candace says tentatively, “And you fell out of it.”

“A haunted house?”

“Yeah, for some reason a helicopter just carried it like 30 feet in the air”

“No, I mean what do you mean ‘We had a haunted house?’”

“You really don't remember anything do you?” she sighs.

“No.”

Ferb looks like he's trying to stare a hole into the ground. “You guys make crazy stuff like every day,” she continues. “Well its not always making stuff sometimes it’s stupid things like telling everyone what an, an olgort is.”

Ferb smiles at that. “‘You guys’ like me ‘n Ferb?”

“Yeah, and sometimes your friends. Usually Issabella,”

“I like her.”

“One time you guys built a whole beach in the backyard,”

“No way,”

“Yes way,”

“Do you do this stuff with us?” I ask Candace.

“Um, sometimes… Not usually. I'm normally try to bust you,”

“Bust us?”

“Yeah,”

“Why?”

“Uh, w...well,” Candace spatters, “the stuff you guys do is dangerous; and if it's not, it's so outlandish that I just have to!”

“Dangerous, like the haunted house?”

“Mmm… yeah, but the way you got hurt didn't really have anything to do with what you did. It was really out of your control.”

“So why is mom mad at you?” Candace bites her lip. “She’s not mad at me… she just… doesn't believe me.”

“What do you mean?”

“She thinks you were playing on the roof or something.” “That's silly.” I protest.

“Not as silly as a haunted house in the backyard getting carried off by a helicopter!”

“Was it a cool haunted house, at least?”

“The coolest,” Ferb replies.

“And why cant I remember anything?”

“Phineas, you fell 30 feet!”

An awkward silence falls upon the room. I notice that Perry is missing. “I guess it kinda was my fault though, I should have been watching you closer.”

“No, it's not what could you have done?”

“I, I, I don't know, saved you.”

The door opens and Mom enters with grocery bags and the mail. “Hey kiddos,” she greets.

“Mom did you know I fell from a haunted house 30 feet in the air?!”

“Aw, poor thing you hit your head pretty hard,”

She says putting her free hand on my forehead

Yes, yes I did, but that was after so I don't see what that has to do with it. I silently wonder where Perry is, I am missing his soft teal fur. He’s comforting to me. I am sure we love each other very much. “ I ran into Buford’s mom at the store. She said he’ll come over after your PT,” mom says from the kitchen. “He’ll bring Baljeet with him.”

“Let’s do something fun until then,” I say.

“Like what, exactly? We only have 45 minutes.” Candace snorts.

“ I don’t know…” I admit.

Candace silently takes the monkey wrench Ferb had raised and sets it aside. We settle on Candace telling us more stories about our escapades. I can't believe some of the stuff she says. Some things would require us to break the laws of physics and defy basic logic. It sounds awesome, though. I'm starting to get antsy. The doorbell rings. I bet it's the physical therapist. “Hello,” mom says “thank you so much for coming.” she leads her to me with a wave of her hand,

“This is Miss Phillips”

“Hi,” she says, squatting in front of my wheelchair to talk to me at eye level. “Please, call me Mackenzie.”

“Hi, I'm Phineas, I guess.” I wave slightly.

I don’t feel like i'm a shy person, but there's something about meeting people when you can't remember having a personality. “Why don't we go into the backyard and start some exercises?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright im splitting it there in case you want to skip pt or whatever also i figured out what html is lol


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is honestly quite a short and boring chapter but there a little bit of sibling cuteness in it so you decide if you wanna read it I guess.   
> ANYWAY IM FIGURING OUT HTML AND IMAGES SO THATS FUN

Ferb helps Mackenzie take her supplies to the backyard and sits down under the oak tree. “We’ll start slow with your arm. Don't worry about straining yourself. If it starts to hurt, stop.” 

We start by stretching my arms. The left one almost covered in cast spare the joint at my elbow; the right one only having a cast on my forearm. I grab each bicep and stretch it over my chest. I raise my hands as high as I can. I notice Ferb, still sitting by the tree, doing the exercises with me. Everything is a bit sore but then again, I haven't done anything in 2 weeks. Mackenzie lays a yoga mat on the ground and helps me lie down. “I want you to put your hands and feet on the ground and lift your butt up.” she explains. 

I follow her direction. My belly slowly rises in the air, but my shoulders are still on the mat. “Now comes the hard part. Standing.” She puts a walker in front of me. I take her extended hand and she helps me rise off the ground. She gives me time to grasp the walker and lets go of my hands. Immediately I slump. My legs feel like candle wax that's gotten too hot. My knees are shaky but I slowly right myself as Mackenzie watches with outstretched arms to catch me if I fall. I notice Candace In her window, watching me, she looks worried. “Ok you’re doing great, let’s hold this for 30 seconds.” 

Towards the end my arms feel like jello supporting most of my weight on them. Mackenzie pushes my wheelchair behind me and I sit. That was exhausting. Mackenzie packs up and leaves and Ferb and I go Into the kitchen for snacks.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another short one because its really dialouge heavy but I dont think the next one will be so thats why im splitting it here

'm too engrossed in Ferb making art with the bubbles in his juice to notice the three kids come in the front door “Hey Phineas, whatcha doin’,” A familiar sing songy voice coos. 

“Better be nothing, without us,” says a new gruff rumbly sort of one. 

I look at the newcomers. There's Issabella, a buff lug of a boy who I think is my age, and a much gentler looking Indian boy in overalls. “Hi, Im Phineas.” I smile. 

“We know that, knucklehead,” the larger boy says. 

“Buford, be nice. He has amnesia and has been through quite a lot.” The Indian boy chastises. “My name is Baljeet,” he continues. 

“So… you guys are my friends?” I ask. 

“Well you do all bug me together,'' Candace remarks as she comes down the stairs carrying a stack of cups. 

She puts it in the sink and sits down at the table next to me. “So what are we gonna do?” Buford asks. 

“I guess Ferb knows how to build stuff,” I say, “I suppose I do too but right now I honestly couldn't tell ya.” 

Candace's eyes narrow at the mention of building. “I honestly just wanna do something fun, our house is not the most wheelchair accessible.” 

“Maybe we can build a hoverchair,” suggests Issabella. 

“I know! That’s what I was—” 

“NO!” Candace cuts me off, “A... uh… I mean, n...no stuff that comes off the ground.” 

“Hm, ok,” I say “I really wish I could remember how we did all that other cool stuff,” 

“Maybe, that’s what we should do, help you regain your lost memories.” Baljeet says. 

“Isn't it just something like if we hit him on the head again, it'll all come back?” Buford proposes. 

Candace looks like she's gonna kill him and Isabella just smacks him in the arm. “That’s only in movies.” 

“That is a good idea,” Baljeet says, “Not what Buford said. But movies! We could show him a slideshow about all of our adventures!.” 

“That sounds like a plan,” I declare.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where it really earns its T rating. Have fun. Get some tissues.

I stare at him, beaming at the projection screen, wide eyes asking so many questions. I'm starting to see a bit of the real Phineas peek through. That terrifies me. What happens when he gets his memory back? Everything goes back to normal? They build another roller coaster? Try and tame a lion? I push the thought away. I can’t believe they had photographic evidence this whole time… I'd have done almost anything for it. _Almost._ I think back to that night on the bridge. Phineas is always so upbeat, seeing him scared rattles me to my core. He was so scared when he woke up. I was too. What if that was the last time I ever saw him? “Did we really build a time machine?” he snaps me out of my funk. 

“Well, I mean technically you guys found it.” 

“Wow!” 

Ferb clicks the remote and the slide changes to a picture of us smiling with Love Händle from mom and dad's anniversary. Isabella explains how we got them back together. I quietly slip away to my room. I decide to text Jeremy. hey- -hi candace. i havent seen u in a while hows ur brother? pretty good- 

We talk for a while. He tells me he’ll bring over a get well card and a muffin basket his mom prepared after dinner. And thus the rest of the day goes smoothly. Dad comes home. The kids leave. We have dinner. Jeremy comes over with the muffins. He talks to Phineas for a bit and then he leaves, too. Everything feels empty. Dad helps Phineas to bed and I take my nightly meds as mom locks the door. “Goodnight, honey.” 

“Night, Mom” 

I brush my teeth and climb into bed. Closing my eyes I drift into sleep. 

* * *

His blood is everywhere. I hold on to his limp body as tight as I can, but it's like he slips right through my fingers. I hear Ferb crying but I look around and can't see him anywhere. His blood. I'm covered in his blood. It's pouring out of the gashes on his head and hands and filling up the backyard. I reach for him again but it consumes him. It quickly rises as I stand. Its at my chest now. I take a deep breath as it envelopes my head. I scream and inhale but do not drown. Suddenly I am in empty blackness. There are no sights or sounds. No tastes nor smells. I take a step into the darkness. “Candaaace,” I hear him call out to me. 

I turn around and there he is, standing in a hospital gown, blood dripping down his face.”Caaaandaaaace.” 

“Im here!” 

“Caaaandaaaace.” 

“PHINEAS I’M RIGHT HERE!” I shout. 

“Candace, why didn't you do anything?” His voice is like a whisper but as loud as thunder. 

“I...I don't understand,” I sob. 

“Why didn't you save me?” 

A giant hand made of blood reaches out of the darkness and takes him from me. 

I bolt upright in bed. Covering my mouth with my hands I begin to shake uncontrollably. I try to regulate my breathing and I hear something in the other room. Someone’s crying. I barrel out of bed and rush into the hall. Cracking Phineas and Ferbs door open I peer inside. Ferb is sleeping, with Perry. Phineas is sitting up in bed sniffling “C...Candace?” he whimpers. 

My heart shatters. “Phineas?” I ask softly, pushing the door open the rest of the way.

“I...I had a nightmare. 

* * *

* * *

I can't see anything. I just hear crying. My hands feel like they are on fire. My head feels like it's being torn open. My chest and arms feel like I am being impaled by a thousand tiny daggers. I try to move but I can't. “Phineas, _please_ ” someone begs. 

I try and fail to open my mouth. Everything begins shaking around me. My body is thrown about violently. I feel someone open my mouth. Something is shoved inside it. It's big and it slides down my throat. I begin to choke. I hear the crying again. I finally break free of whatever is holding me back and make a run for it. I trip on something but instead of hitting the ground there is nothingness. I'm falling. 

My eyes burst open. I'm in my room. I sit up. Ferb is sound asleep, holding Perry like a teddy bear. I begin to weep. The door cracks open. “C... Candace?” I manage. 

“Phineas?” she gently says coming in.


	8. 8

I take him down to the couch and go get him a glass of water. Sitting down I start, “so bad dream huh?” 

“Y...yeah,” 

“Wanna talk about it?” 

He hesitates. “I couldn’t see anything and I heard crying and I fell really far...” 

“That sounds scary. You know, I had a bad dream too.’ 

“Really? What was yours about.” 

I purse my lips. I can’t tell him what actually happened in my nightmare. He'd never be able to sleep again. “I… dreamt I lost you,” 

“You’re a good big sister,” Phineas yawns That does it. “No I’m not,” I object. “What?” “ _I’m not_. I let you get hurt and and even before then all I ever did was try to ruin your fun when I could have just been spending time with you, you're my brother I'm supposed to protect you and I can't forgive myself for what I let happen!” 

“That’s not true,” 

“What do you know you can’t remember anything!” I snap. 

Oh no. There they are again, the tears in his eyes. “Phineas, I’m sorry. I know it’s hard. It is for me too. I just… I don’t know. I spent two weeks watching you, waiting, _worrying_. Every day seeing you in that bed killed me. And then you woke up and, you… you weren't there.” 

“I just wanna remember,” he cries, “I wish I even knew what normal was. I just want everything to go back to normal. I...I...I just, what’s that look for?” 

I don’t even realize I’m making it. I’m just staring out into space vacantly. I am at a loss for words. I suck in my cheeks. “I... I don’t think I _want_ everything to go back to normal. I don't want you to get your memories back! I look at you and, and you don't know me and I _hate_ it, but it's better than everything going back to normal!” A tear escapes me. 

“Why?” “" " _Because_ , Phineas! Then what? You just go back to doing crazy stupid stuff everyday? What if you get hurt again. What if something happens to Ferb. What if you—” 

“Candace, nothing bad is going to happen.” 

“YOU CAN’T KNOW THAT!” 

“THAT’S THE PROBLEM. I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING!” 

I hear stirring upstairs. Four little feet come plodding down followed by two bigger ones. “No one could have predicted this,” Ferb says. “Sometimes bad things happen and there’s nothing you can do about it. You have to keep going, keep living. Take the good with the bad. Fear is an important instinct but you can't let it control you. Nobody knows everything. People go about their lives pretending like they know what’s going on, but no one really does. You can’t go about thinking that there is this life inside you that you must live up to. You don't have to live up to anyone's expectations, not even your own. There is no you that is set in stone, Phineas. You must create you for yourself.” 

“What's all the ruckus? Dad says rubbing his eyes and putting on his glasses, “Kids what are you doing awake at this hour?” 

“Phineas had a nightmare. We were just, reminding him how much we love him. 

“Well that's very sweet,” Mom said. “But it's 2 in the morning you really ought to go back to bed if you can.” 

“Right-o,” dad intejects. “That way you can seize tomorrow by the reigns. 

“I am pretty tired.” Phineas says as mom picks him up. Ferb follows them upstairs. I share an inquisitive look with dad. I start to get up. “Candace, wait.” he says. “From the moment I met you to the moment I knew I wanted to be a part of this family, I knew you would make the perfect big sister for my Ferb. Phin will be alright, he just needs time. You have to be a bit kinder to yourself.” 

“Thanks, Dad,” I say going upstairs. I lie in bed awake for the rest of the night.


	9. Chapter 9

When I wake up Phineas is still asleep. He's had a rough night, he deserves it. I go take a shower and brush my teeth. Candace's door is open. She looks at me with bloodshot eyes, gets up and takes the bathroom. When I return to our room Phineas is sitting up. I nod at him good morning. “Good morning, Ferb. How'd you sleep?”  
I wave my hand in a so-so motion. “Yeah me too. So, what do you wanna do today?”  
I think about last night and the looks on my siblings faces. I think about how worried Phineas is that he has to live up to himself. “Carpe diem, of course,”  
He looks at me with a befuddled expression on his face. “What did you say?”  
“I said Carpe diem, it means s—”  
“Seize the day.” he finishes.  
I raise an eyebrow. The human brain is a strange thing. I suppose it's not impossible for him to remember that. Or perhaps he just put it together with knowledge of latin root words. “Ferb…”  
I tilt my head. He’s honestly starting to freak me out a bit. “No, I mean Ferb. It’s YOU!”  
I nod. I am indeed me. And then I look in his eyes… and there he is. He recognizes me, not from the past couple of days, he really truly recognizes me. I race to him and wrap him in a hug. He squeezes me so tightly. “It’s really you,” he cries “I've missed you so much.”  
I let him go and look him in the face. He's beaming. I see his usual spirit and inquisition, his kindness, his creativity, even his obliviosness. My brother is back. I hug him again. “Oh, my gosh, Candace! We have to tell her!”  
He tries to get out of bed and falls. I catch him and get my skateboard, supporting his weight as he sits down on it. He uses his hands to propel himself and speeds into the hall. I catch up to him and he Is banging on Candace's door yelling her name. Candace hurriedly opens the door and looks around. “I'm here, what's wrong, what do you need?”  
I point down. She looks at his enormous grin “hi,” he giggles.  
“Uh, hey you, how'd you get out of bed? Man somebody’s chipper this morning.”  
He hugs her legs. She confusedly pats him on the head “wait a minute? Phineas?” She questions,  
“Mmhm.” he nods vigorously  
“Oh my gosh it really is you!” She kneels down and hugs him tight. They embrace for a moment and then she looks at me, “get in here twerp.” She says.  
I oblige. “. So what do you remember “ she asks excitedly.  
“Everything! Everything…”  
I see a flash of fear in him for a split second but as soon as it’s there it’s gone. “That’s great! Now if only your bones would heal faster.”  
“That’s it ferb! I know what we’re gonna do today!”

I set up my chemistry set in the backyard as Phineas finishes breakfast. Candace opens the door for him and he comes out. She closes it but doesn’t leave. She just watches us. I hear the familiar sound of the back gate opening and our neighbor coming in. “Hey, Phineas, whatcha doin’?”  
“Revolutionizing modern medicine!” he replies.  
“Wow, going big today? I can definitely earn a patch for that.”  
She looks at me and silently points to her head confused. I nod at her as I continue to grind ingredients in the pestle, but she does not seem to “get it” quite yet. “By the way…” Phineas adds. “I wanted to say thank you for everything you did that day. You probably saved my life.”  
“Your welcome, Phineas, but I don’t...” it clicks, “You mean?”  
He just winks at her. “That’s horrible! I mean that you can remember it happening. But that means you can remember me?”  
“Yup.”  
“Phineas, I am so, sorry, this all happened because we were trying to cure my hiccups,”  
“Hey! Really, this could have happened with any of our inventions, honestly.” he says pouring a test tube in a beaker. “I’m just glad I remember you.”  
“Me too,” She looks at him dreamily.  
Buford and Baljeet enter. “Ah, back to the old grind I see,” Buford says, picking up my mortar.  
I roll my eyes. “What is this for?” Baljeet asks, looking at the beaker of green liquid in front of Phineas.  
“Once it's finished, it will temporarily be able to accelerate all human metabolic processes a thousand fold!” he says.  
“Isn't that a bit dangerous?” Isabella asks.  
I notice Candace in the window narrow her eyes. She's watching us like a hawk. “I had a big breakfast.” He shrugs, filling a dropper.  
He adds two drops to the beaker. It fizzes and turns purple. It occurs to me Buford and Baljeet do not know yet. I contemplate whether it is my place to tell them or Phineas’s. “Oh you’re right, Ferb,” he answers me. “Hi guys.”  
They exchange an understanding look and smile. “Wait,” Baljeet says, “you mean metabolic processes like the dividing of cells, and healing of bones?”  
“Exactly. Well, here goes nothing,”  
I lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder as he downs the beaker. He looks at me and smiles. Suddenly there is pain in his face. He clutches his chest and doubles over. Oh no, we did not account for heart rate and blood flow to be accelerated too. Admittedly we did not think about all the metabolic processes a human body goes through every day. He begins to hyperventilate. I give him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. It will not last much longer. Our friends watch with bated breath. He makes pained wheezing sort of noises as his eyes roll back and he faints. His body goes limp. Candace runs out to us. “Phineas! No! You are not gonna do this to me again! Phineas! Wake up!”  
She holds his sides and begins crying. I take his wrist and check his pulse. It is unbelievably fast, but it is slowing down by the second. And then, he begins snoring peacefully. Candace looks at me expectantly. I nod. She shakes him gently. He slowly opens his eyes. “I really need to go to the bathroom,” He says.  
“PHINEAS FLYNN DON’T YOU EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!”  
I look at him and silently ask how he's feeling. I notice the wound on his forehead has gotten significantly lighter. “It's alright, Ferb, im fine. I just really have to go to the bathroom, and I'm kinda hungry. Really thirsty too.”  
He tries to get out of his wheelchair and nearly falls. “Phineas what do you think you're doing?” Candace chides.  
“Yeah,” Baljeet adds. “Your bones and sprains and bruises may be healed, although we have no way of knowing that for sure without xrays, but that does not change the fact that you have hardly used those muscles in two and a half weeks!”  
He's starting to get frustrated. I can see it. “Look I’m fine! I can do it! I just…”  
I motion for everyone to go inside and help Phineas to the bathroom. I go and get him a snack and some water, and bring it to the den where the others are sitting. He wheels himself in and takes a long drink. “I… I'm sorry I made everyone worried.”  
“Phineas,” Candace comforts, “of course were worried. We love you.”  
“I know, and I love you too I just…”  
“Phineas, there are no expectations you need to live up to. It is ok to need help.”  
“At least use the walker.” Candace asks.  
“Sure, and Ferb, thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so yeah I know I didn't include Linda and Lawrence just assume they're gone for some reason and also didn't really use the gang that much but I'm a sucker for sibling fluff.
> 
> FUTURE SARA OOO.... ok so yeah I lied I do not have one more chapter in me. Feel free to take it and run wild.


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